Posts from Flatware

In an ideal kitchen, you have plenty of space to store all your utensils, containers, pots, pans, and flatware. But if you're a renter or in need of a kitchen remodel, you might not be that lucky — which means you'll have to get creative.

Finding creative solutions for storing your flatware can be a challenge, but we've rounded up 10 options that should fit almost every kitchen scenario imaginable.

When our kids (now 16, 13, and 8 — how did that happen?) were little, I loved the sheer cuteness of Ikea's set of kids' stainless steel flatware. In all honesty, they didn't get much use, since by the time the kids were eating food that required them, they were big enough to use adult-sized cutlery. But this little set of flatware still gets a lot of play in our house — at cocktail parties.

I have mixed feelings about wood-handled flatware; on the one hand, no dishwasher; on the other, those wood handles just feel so much warmer and nicer to hold than stainless steel. Your call — if I felt like hand washing all my flatware this set would be at the top of my list.

I like shopping at flea markets, garage sales, and antique fairs... in theory. I love the idea of hunting for and finding a treasure, but the reality is that these places can be overwhelming to navigate, particularly if you don't know what to look for, or you're not sure if what you're finding is a good deal.

That's where this list comes in handy. You can bet pretty fairly you won't regret buying one of these five kitchen things should you happen upon them at a flea market! These are the major scores we always look for.

• $5.32 to $5.92 for set of four forks, spoons, or knives
• World Market

This flatware is charming, unique, and inexpensive. I bought a few pieces last week and I love the enamel-dipped handles. It's not available online right now but I found plenty in my local store. I also really like the aqua and mustard yellow colors. Cute for everyday, or for a party.

Throwing an outdoor soirée this summer? If you're not terribly enthused by standard disposable tableware (read: blue plastic cups and wimpy white paper plates), we don't blame you. Thankfully, there are some lovely, colorful, and just plain cheerful disposable table pieces out there. Here are 10 picks that would prettify any picnic table:

When we got married, my aunt gave us two sterling silver iced tea spoons, promising I could use them for so much more than tea. Which is good, because — get ready to take away my Southern card — I don't like iced tea. I know. But my aunt was right. These spoons are good for so much more.

Silverware is intended to help you eat. It helps you raise food from a bowl or plate in a civilized way and place that substance in your mouth. When it goes beyond the call of duty to, say, help you spin spaghetti or tell you you're eating too fast, well that's just not OK.

Here are ten pieces of silverware that need to be told, gently, that at the table it's better to be seen, not heard.

I didn't give much thought to my flatware set until I realized, quite suddenly, that I really disliked it. The dull forks do a terrible job of spearing food, the knives are bottom-heavy and always fall off the plate, and the spoons... well, the spoons are okay. After talking to my fellow editors about this problem, I realized this is a common complaint. It's really hard to find a good set of silverware.

Whether you decided to upgrade your silverware or you received a new set as a gift, you are faced with a couple options for your old spoons: you could sell them, donate them, hoard them, give them to your college-bound friends and family OR you could get crafty.